


Crew Loyalty

by orphan_account



Category: Star Trek: Alternate Original Series (Movies)
Genre: Character Study, Crew as Family, Loyalty, Multi, Team Building, learning how to work together, referenced suicide attempts
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-05-05
Updated: 2017-05-05
Packaged: 2018-10-28 10:21:11
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,456
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10829295
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: The crew of the Enterprise is loyal to their captian. They just came about that loyaly differently.





	Crew Loyalty

**Author's Note:**

> Disclaimer: I don't own Star Trek or the Peom used in the story.

_Loyalty is not given. It is not deserved. It is not a right, an obligation or an entitlement. It's not instantaneous nor begrudging._

Trusting Jim was both the hardest and the easiest thing Nyota has ever done. The man had made a mixed impression on Nyota when the two first met and she’d be the first to admit that had cupcake not intervened, she might have slept with Jim that long ago night in Iowa. Nyota was not so much ashamed to admit, as she was reluctant to admit, that she judged Jim a bit unfairly. Though in her defense the only time he seemed to cross her path he was doing something seemingly asshole-ish or stupid. Then Jim pulled the stunts he did with the Narada and Nyota was again of mixed feeling of the man. Jim had done what was needed but he was an ass the whole way through in her opinion but maybe that’s the point.

Nyota could appreciate the captain’s get things done attitude and his disbelief in no-win scenarios when she steps back from the situation. Having a captain that cares was nice. Having a captain as quick on his feet as Jim was nice. Having a captain that would do everything in his power to protect his ship and crew was nice. Jim’s personality, however, wasn’t always nice.

Jim was a firm believer in using whatever weapon was most useful. He wasn’t afraid to pull out the big guns but he also knew when a smaller one would work just as well. His ability to read people and just know what would dig the deepest made Nyota nervous

The man’s disposition varied in a way that also made Nyota nervous. He changes the way he acts to fit the person he was with and people like that were rarely trustworthy. His sternness, bordering on dickishness, when dealing with Lt. Hendorff would give way to a companionly feel when dealing with Pavel. The man was never the same person and Nyota wasn’t sure which one was real or if they all were.

Her mind told her time and time again not to put her trust in a man like Jim but every time the situation called for it she’d look to him for guidance. She’d follow his lead. She might argue the point on occasion but that has never stopped her when push comes to shove from following Jim Kirk’s lead.

If Nyota is honest Jim Kirk’s secretive nature didn’t deserve the trust of his crew and she resented that she had given her trust to him. If she could she’d stop but she had no idea what about Jim Kirk made her trust him.

=-=-=-=  
_It is not something that can be forged or stolen. It cannot be fabricated, faked, or falsified. But neither is it earned. It is a consequence, the product of something else entirely._

Scotty doesn’t trust as easy as everyone thinks, he just trusts Jim. He also trusts Pavel cause the boy’s smart. He also trusts Leonard because the man’s very genuine.

Scotty trusts Spock. The Vulcan’s uptight rule abiding attitude leaves Scotty with the taste of ice in his mouth. People like Spock felt too strongly for the rules and it showed when the man marooned Jim on Delta Vega. Scotty didn’t want the Vulcan to do the same to him so he kept his distance. Jim’s trust in Spock was the only reason Scotty extended his trust to Spock.

Scotty trusts Hikaru. The pilot made Scotty twitch every time he made a minor mistake and caused strain to the nacelles. Hikaru’s Zen disposition also left Scotty wrong-footed. Scotty was an exuberant guy and someone as unreactive as Hikaru left the world tilted to Scotty. Scotty stayed down in the engine room fixing whatever Hikaru broke in his piloting attempts. Needless to say, Scotty only trusted Hikaru because Jim trusted him.

Scotty trusts Nyota. The woman was a bit on the judgmental side. She disliked the captain and would stand behind the Vulcan even when the Vulcan clearly didn’t know how to handle the situation properly. Scotty was under no delusions that the woman didn’t think him strange, irritating, and every bit as childish as she found the captain to be. Scotty couldn’t shake this one because when she wasn’t on the bridge she was down in engineering working on circuit boards. If Jim didn’t trust the woman Scotty didn’t think he could work with her.

Scotty trusted Jim more than anyone on the ship, including Keenser. Scotty couldn’t help himself. Jim was a strange man. He knowingly brought a perfect stranger aboard the enterprise on the word of a Vulcan from the future that he had just met. He then proceeded to allow that stranger command of engineering. The trust Jim gave him in those few terror filled hours meant a lot to Scotty. The fact that Jim the proceeded to go toe to toe with Admiral Archer about Scotty’s position on the enterprise sealed the deal for Scotty. Jim Kirk might be crazy but it was a craziness Scotty could count on. Scotty not only trusted Jim with his life, Scotty also trusted the man with the Enterprise. 

Jim’s love and protection of the ship made Scotty more confidant in Hikaru because he knew if the pilot did something severely damaging Jim would stop him. Jim’s good humor about Nyota’s jabs made the Scotsman more inclined to allow her silted words to roll off his back. Jim’s contemplations and dismissals of some of Spock’s more logical ideas made Scotty less hesitant in his dealing with Spock because Jim would surely not maroon him for something as simple as talking back.  
Maybe Scotty didn’t trust Nyota, Hikaru and Spock after all but he trusted Jim to monitor them.

=-=-=-=

_Loyalty, like a tree, grows from a tiny seed, a moment that shifts the perspective and changes everything._

No one listens to the seventeen year old. Pavel could pull the cure for blindness out of his ass and no one would listen. Well maybe one person would listen. Captain James T. Kirk was a formidable person. His flare and energy left a kid eight years his younger worn out but Pavel would not trade his mentee relationship with the man for anything.

Pavel had a great respect for Jim Kirk. The man was one of his role models and any positive word from Jim would make his day. Pavel often had good days because Jim would often acknowledge his crews great ability.

Pavel knew most of the crew could not pin point the instance where they began to trust the captain. Pavel in contradiction, could quote the conversation that made him trust the captain with his life.

“Keptin Kirk, Keptin Kirk,” he’d called as he tapped the man on the shoulder. The man who was in an argument with Nyota turned to Pavel with impatience, “Yes, Mr. Chekov, you don’t have to ask for permission to speak, what is it?’

Pavel had paused for a moment at the captain's words before launching into his plan with hope. “Based on the Narada’s course from Vulcan I can predict that Nero will travel past Saturn. Like you said we need to stay invisible to Nero or he will destroy us. If Mr. Scott can get us to warp factor four and if we drop out of warp behind one of Saturn’s moons, say Titian” Pavel stuttered as more attention was given to him but Jim just hummed in approval and Pavel continued with renewed vigor. “The magnetic distortions from the planets rings will make us invisible to Nero’s sensors. From there so long as the drill is not activated we can beam aboard the enemy ship.”

“Aye that might work.” Scotty had said and Pavel felt confidence growing before Leonard said, “Wait a minute kid how old are you?”

Pavel defiantly answered, “Seventeen sir.” The Captain smiled at his rebellion.

“Oh, good he’s seventeen,” Leonard had muttered towards the captain as Pavel deflated.

Jim winked at Pavel before starting to admonish Leonard but he was interrupted by Spock’s arrival.

“Doctor Mr. Chekov is correct,” Mr. Spock said coming into the room and the high Pavel was riding from Jim’s approval doubled.

Pavel had gained two role models that day and the two men had gained Pavel’s trust. 

=-=-=-=

_It may start from duty and give way to respect, but respect does not become loyalty. It grows, it thrives, it transforms from a moment to a devotion born from the emotion that defines it._

Almost dying together can change the way people see each other. Hikaru originally thought Jim Kirk was a spoiled military brat. If anyone else had snuck onto the ship they would have been in a hell of amount of trouble with no chance at explanation but Jim Kirk had Captain Pike eating out of the palm of his hand, so the kid got away with it. Not only did the kid get away with it but he then proceeded to get promoted to acting First Officer. 

Hikaru only listened to him because it was his job. The kid had a flare for the dramatics and something told Hikaru that working with him would only spell danger. He should have been more concerned for the other guy. Despite losing the charges Jim came up with a pretty good solution on how to disengage the drill. Hikaru could respect Jim’s quick thinking mind.

Jim follows up his brilliance by diving off the platform after Hikaru when he falls. It doesn’t hit Hikaru until after the whole Narada business has settled but Jim Kirk saved his life, twice. Hikaru wasn’t sure of what to make of the kid after that but Jim proceeded to lead the crew with an efficiency that surprised, well, everyone.

Hikaru’s loyalty to the Captain was borne from near death, it was a sudden instance where everything shifted. Hikaru didn’t even notice his entire perception shifted. Suddenly the Hero’s Golden Child was turned into Hikaru’s Captain and Hikaru found he didn’t much care. He wasn’t sure the Hero’s Golden Child was ever a real person in the first place.

=-=-=-=

_Loyalty, true loyalty, does not begin with anger. Or hatred. Or pride. The seed that bears it is planted in the heart where it takes root and becomes what it was always going to be._

Spock did not let himself trust Jim fully until he spoke to his future counterpart. Spock’s first impression of Jim was that the man was a cheater and always tried to take the easy way out. Later Spock came to the conclusion that Jim was a man who cared little for the order of things when he marched onto the bridge and somehow worked his way into the senior crew. Spock’s opinion of Jim took a very sharp turn towards the negative when the man called into question his mental state. A conversation with his father was the only reason he thought to give the man another chance.

Jim proved him wrong. Jim never took the easy way out. He took the way that lead to the least amount of casualties on his side, even if it was the most convoluted plan in existence. Jim did care for the order of things, but he also respected the opinions of lower ranking crew member which caused frustration when dealing with higher ranks that didn’t believe the same. Jim wasn’t a rude or arrogant person. He was a man who would push any button needed to get the job done in the most efficient way possible.

Spock’s original opinion of Jim was that the Captain was lacking. His new opinion was that Jim was extremely competent and extremely dangerous. This combination made Spock slightly wary but he knew the man only had the best intentions when he did things.

Ambassador Spock’s words made Spock realize that Jim Kirk’s brilliance would get him killed one day if he did not have Spock’s mind to balance him out. It took a few months and another conversation with his future counterpart to realize that Jim did not need his calculations against his ideas he needed the calculations for them. Jim needed the extra confidence and the reassurance that his plan was right even when it went sideways.

Jim needed Spock’s trust. It did not talk long after this realization for Spock to come to the conclusion that under Spock’s protectiveness was a trust so deep it unnerved the Vulcan.

=-=-=-=

_It's love. It is, was and always will be love._

Leonard has trusted Jim since the blond-haired dumbass walked into their shared dorm and said “Oh, it’s you Bones!” The stupid kid ran around San Fran like he had no clue in his head. He was constantly either parting until he dropped or studding until he dropped. If you asked Leonard in the first month he’d tell you the kid had two settings, Wild Child and Genius. After that he realized Jim ran more in-between the two, or maybe he ran both at the same time.

Jim was a fragile person. He liked people liking him because he was never liked when he was little. He wanted people to be proud of him and nearly drove himself into a mental collapse trying to prove to Pike he hadn’t made a mistake. The awkward hug in the middle of the dorm room between the two men after Pike explained that Jim wasn’t disappointing him made Leonard want to puke rainbows. 

Needless to say, Jim had a lot of baggage but Leonard was hardly one to judge. There were many confessions throughout the years between the two men. Jim didn’t have a good home life. Leonard only married because he got his wife pregnant. Jim’s brother ran away from home at 16. Leonard lost all custody of his daughter. Jim drove a car off a cliff. Leonard nearly jumped off a bridge. Jim was on Tarsus IV. Leonard killed his father.

It was about halfway through their second year that Leonard realized he’d fallen in love with the punk. He kept his mouth shut up until the world nearly ended. Nyota may have made a big scene of it in some attempt to mess with Jim but Leonard and Jim shared softly whispered confessions and pleas. 

Leonard could admit that the situation had his trust in Jim bending but he kept his faith that Jim knew what he was doing, only occasionally doubting the man. Regardless of his hesitance Leonard followed his lead. When the dust settled the two men fell into bed and slept, when they woke up Jim showed Leonard how much his trust meant to him.

**Author's Note:**

> I'm supposed to be packing but I'm avoiding responcibilites.


End file.
